Mouth Breathing vs. Nasal breathing
What is the difference between nasal breathing and mouth breathing? Nasal breathing is proper breathing as it helps filter out allergens and dust in the environment and boosts your overall oxygen intake. Mouth breathing can contribute to reduced oral health and sleep quality, facial abnormalities, and speech distortions.
Research has shown that open-mouth breathing affects the natural movement of the tongue and resting posture, creating a “tongue thrust” and abnormal tongue resting posture. Natural breathing posture is characterized by the tongue resting on the roof of the mouth with the lips closed. A “tongue thrust” occurs when the tongue presents with an abnormal, anterior motion of the tongue, causing the tongue to rest in a low position against or between the front teeth with an open mouth posture. It is essential to note that a tongue thrust creates deficits in swallowing, speech, and overall dentition. This is why it is critical to have proper breathing and resting posture so various areas are not affected.
Spot Pal is designed to help eliminate open-mouth breathing by retraining the tongue to the correct resting position on the roof of the mouth and help aid in the development of natural orofacial musculature.
Allen, R. (n.d.). The health benefits of nose breathing. https://www.lenus.ie/